Sunday, December 20, 2009

GLBT in the Canadian Forces (allowed since 1992)

Calgary Sun http://www.calgarysun.com/news/canada/2009/06/20/9871661-sun.html

CBC News http://www.cbc.ca/canada/story/2008/06/29/gay-pride.html

Canadian Forces http://www.index.forces.gc.ca/Srch.aspx?UsrQue=gay+members&keepParametric=False&LangOption=&Action=Search&lang=en-CA&CurPag=1&Scrn=Basic&ParaCnt=40&SLnksCnt=1&TaxLanguage=&ParamSources=&TaxMaterial=&TaxActivities=&TaxLocation=&TaxSizeRange=&TaxFileFormat=

If you feel that you have been reject on the grounds of your sexuality I believe you can send a complaint through this address http://www.ombudsman.forces.gc.ca/sc-sp/scf-spf-eng.asp

I'm going to send a message through that function myself (giving this group's web address) and will post any reply given if they give permission for me to share their reply. The letter I sent is the following and was sent to ombudsman-communications@forces.gc.ca because the function above wanted a mail-in copy:

"I am a rep. of the Okanagan College Pride Group. I would like to draw your attention to our website (http://glbtmyokanagan.blogspot.com). I have placed a posting that has articles that explain that GLBT persons (gays, lesbians, bisexuals, transgender) are permitted to serve in the Canadian Armed Forces as well as providing a link to [your] ombudsman site in case any of our readers feel that they been discrminated against based on their sexuality during the recuitment process: that is, they have been rejected because of being GLBT. Please let me know if you have a preferred method that these complaints can be given (other than at the local level as this is where the discrimination may occur). Feel-free to let me know if I have misunderstood the Canadian Forces policy of permitting GLBT persons to serve. Any information that you can provide would be greatly apperciated (so I can change or withdraw the information presented) and will post your actual response if you elect to do so."